Keothavong: "Looking ahead to April, words can't describe the sense of anticipation we are going to have playing our first World Group play-off at home"
Thursday 28 February 2019 13:37, UK
Great Britain's Fed Cup play-off in April will be held at the Copper Box at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Anne Keothavong's side will take on Kazakhstan on April 20-21 as they attempt to reach the World Group of the competition for the first time since 1993.
Britain hosted Fed Cup tennis in Bath earlier this month for the first time in 25 years, with the home nation coming through the Europe/Africa Zone for the fifth time in eight years.
They have lost their previous four play-offs having been drawn away each time, with last year's defeat to Japan on the deciding doubles rubber particularly painful.
This will be the first time East London has hosted international tennis, and it will be a special occasion for Keothavong, who grew up in Hackney.
For the fans, I'm hoping that seeing our players perform with all they have got will inspire the next generation of kids to get out there and get involved with tennis.
Speaking at a visit to the Clapton Girls Academy, she said: "It's very special to come back to my home borough of Hackney.
"Having grown up and started playing tennis here, I never dreamt that one day I would be coming back and leading the British team in what is the world cup of women's team tennis.
"Looking ahead to April, words can't describe the sense of anticipation we are going to have playing our first World Group play-off at home.
"Home support makes such a massive difference in sport and we saw the impact the GB fans had in getting the team over the line in Bath recently.
"For the fans, I'm hoping that seeing our players perform with all they have got will inspire the next generation of kids to get out there and get involved with tennis."
It could be a close contest, with Britain's two leading players Johanna Konta and Katie Boulter evenly matched in the rankings with Kazakhstan duo Yulia Putintseva and Zarina Diyas.
The capacity of the venue is expected to be 5,800, with tickets priced from £6 for children and £12 for adults.
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